This invention relates to cooking surfaces for barbecue grills in general, and specifically to a reversible barbecue grill grate that collects cooking fluid and directs it away from the heat source of a grill.
Barbecue grills have become popular for many reasons, but principal among them is that food prepared on them acquires a distinctive flavor unobtainable by other means. This xe2x80x9cbarbecue flavorxe2x80x9d is partly the result of gases and smoke emanating from the heat source of the grill itself, but mostly is the result of smoke and vapors caused by cooking liquids, such as barbecue sauce or other popular sauces, and meat juices falling into the heat source of the grill. It is the smoke and vapor caused by these liquids and juices burning that principally cause and enhance the barbecue flavor.
The burning of these liquids in the heat source of a grill, however, is often problematic. Food juices and cooking liquids often produce xe2x80x9cflare-upsxe2x80x9d or intense flames as they are ignited by the heat source. These flare-ups negatively affect the barbecue grilling experience in several ways. First, the increased heat from the flare-ups makes it difficult to evenly cook the food on the grill, and often results in charring of the food on the outside while the inside is not fully cooked. This difficulty is heightened when the barbecuer engages in firefighting as well as cooking. Second, the increased heat from the flare-up often produces more food juices, which, in turn, increases the intensity of the flare-up. This can and often does result in an uncomfortable and dangerous situation to the barbecuer and to those around the grill. Third and finally, flare-ups considerably increase the amount of work required in barbecuing, as the increased and uneven heat of the flare-ups necessitates greater handling of the food on the grill to avoid severely burning it. The increased workload combined with the increased heat generated from flare-ups substantially detracts from the barbecue experience.
Furthermore, frequent flare-ups may reduce the lifespan of the grill. The excess heat and residue from the flare-ups may accelerate the decomposition of the burners and the corrosion of the shell housing. The excess heat of flare-ups may also compromise the lifespan of accessories such as grill rotisseries located over the grill grates and shelves located along the sides of the grill.
The barbecue grill cooking racks and grill plates of the prior art are ill-equipped to counter the problem of flare-ups, and often contribute to them, because they provide unregulated access of cooking juices and liquids to the heat source of the grill. Still other grates in the prior art are of one piece construction, such as molded or cast aluminum or steel, which makes them suitable for indirect heating but which also makes them relatively expensive. Furthermore, if these grates become damaged, rusted, or break they are not economically repairable. Instead, a complete new grate must be obtained, at not insubstantial expense.
Among the several advantages of the present invention may be noted the provision of a reversible barbecue grill grate that avoids flare-ups on one side of the grate by regulating the amount of cooking fluid and juices that passes therethrough onto the heat source; the provision of a reversible barbecue grill grate that functions as a conventional grate on the opposite side of the grate; the provision of a barbecue grill grate that enhances cooking with indirect heat; and the provision of a grill grate that is less expensive than a cast metal grate, is repairable, and has an improved useable lifespan.
Generally the present invention comprises a plurality of elongated and nesting stainless steel grate or rail members secured to one another. Each member has offset substantially parallel surfaces in spaced relation from one another at either end of a vertical rib. The offset surfaces of a plurality of adjacent grate members form opposite first and second cooking surfaces.
The first cooking surface is generally flat and continuous, and has a plurality of staggered elongated apertures for cooking liquids and juices to flow through. The second cooking surface comprises a plurality of spaced, longitudinal flat surfaces with each flat surface having a ramped or sloped portion positioned so that the edges of the ramped or sloped portions underlie and substantially longitudinally bisect the apertures of the first cooking surface. Thus, the longitudinal flat surfaces and their ramped or sloped portions form gutters to catch a portion of the fluid flowing downwardly through the apertures of the first surface.
The grill grate is mounted to the grill housing at a slope relative to the grill housing, so that when the first cooking surface of the grate is used, cooking liquid or juice flows across the surface of the grate and into the apertures. Because the gutters underlie approximately one half of the area of the apertures, a portion of the juice flowing through the apertures is collected by the gutters. Because the grate is mounted at an angle, the liquid collected into the gutters flows down then to the back of the grill and away from the heat source. Liquid or juices passing through the apertures of the first surface beyond the reach of the gutters fall into the heat source of the grill so that the barbecue flavor is generated. Thus, the barbecue flavor is obtained, and undesirable flare-ups are avoided by limiting the amount of liquid falling into the grill.
When the second side of the cooking grate is used, the flat surfaces of the second side simulate the spaced bars of a conventional barbecue rack. The cooking juices and liquids flow through the apertures and into the heat source to generate the barbecue flavor. The impact of flare-ups is reduced as a portion of the juices don""t flow into the apertures and instead flow to the back of the grill.
Finally, because the grate members are made of stainless steel and provide a greater xe2x80x9cheat sinkxe2x80x9d effect than a conventional cooking grill, the grate enhances the indirect cooking of food on the grill. When used in this manner, flare-ups may be virtually entirely avoided. The grate also conveniently provides for warming food or keeping it warm, as well as simultaneously cooking food at different rates.
Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.